Push filter with floating key lock

Abstract

A filter housing assembly for fluid filtration which may be attached to, and removed from, a filter base by a push-actuated release. The filter housing assembly has a top portion with an ingress port and egress port extending therefrom, and a protrusion extending from the filter housing longitudinally axial center. The ingress and egress port are formed in an hourglass shape. A filter key having a base with a groove for mating with said projection, at least one finger extending from said base, and an electronic circuit component housing attached thereto for receiving a printed circuit board, is connected to the filter housing top portion by mating said top portion protrusion with the filter key groove. Both of said ingress and egress port have at least one cavity for the passage of fluid therethrough, where each cavity is exposed in a direction facing away from the printed circuit board.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A filter cartridge assembly comprising:
 a housing having a substantially cylindrical body and a top portion for forming a fluid-tight seal with the body, the housing top portion having an axial center and further including: 
 an ingress port and egress port extending from the housing top portion, each of said ingress port and egress port having a body with a top segment, a middle segment, and a bottom segment adjacent to the housing top portion and in fluid communication with said cylindrical body, the ingress port and egress port top segments having at least one seal at the junction with said middle segments, and the ingress port and egress port bottom segments having at least one seal at the junction with said middle segments, each of said seals having an outer surface first diameter, and the ingress port and egress port middle segments having an outer surface with a second diametric extension less than the ingress port and egress port respective seal first diameters, such that the ingress port middle segment and egress port middle segment are formed in an hourglass shape; 
 a filter key located on or connected to the housing for mating attachment to a filter base, the filter key comprising an extended finger including on one side a contacting portion forming a first angle in a first direction with respect to the housing top portion and an adjacent side forming a second angle in the first direction with respect to the housing top portion, such that the first angle and the second angle are not equal; 
 an electronic circuit component housing disposed adjacent to the filter key and having a recess for receiving an electronic circuit component therein, and for further connecting said electronic circuit component to the housing top portion, said electronic circuit component housing located on or connected to the filter cartridge assembly housing, said electronic circuit component housing at least partially surrounding the filter key and said filter key extending partially into the electronic circuit component housing recess; and 
 a cavity on the ingress port middle segment for the passage of fluid, and a cavity on the egress port middle segment for the passage of fluid, the ingress port cavity and egress port cavity exposed in a direction facing away from the electronic circuit component housing. 
 
     
     
       2. The filter cartridge assembly of  claim 1  wherein the ingress port and egress port extend from a non-diameter chord line of the housing top portion. 
     
     
       3. The filter cartridge assembly of  claim 1  further including an electronic circuit component disposed within the electronic circuit component housing, wherein the electronic circuit component is a printed circuit board. 
     
     
       4. The filter cartridge assembly of  claim 3  further including at least one terminal post disposed within said electronic circuit component housing recess for mechanically connecting said printed circuit board to said filter cartridge assembly housing. 
     
     
       5. A refrigerator comprising:
 a manifold configured to receive a filter cartridge assembly; and 
 a filter cartridge assembly comprising: 
 a housing having a substantially cylindrical body and a top portion for forming a fluid tight seal with the body, the housing top portion having an axial center and further including: 
 an ingress port and an egress port extending from the housing top portion, each of said ingress port and egress port having a body with a top segment, a middle segment, and a bottom segment adjacent to the housing top portion and in fluid communication with said cylindrical body, the ingress port and egress port top segments having at least one seal at the junction with said middle segments, and the ingress port and egress port bottom segments having at least one seal at the junction with said middle segments, each of said seals having an outer surface first diameter, and the ingress port and egress port middle segments having an outer surface with a second diametric extension less than the ingress port and egress port respective seal first diameters, such that the ingress port middle segment and egress port middle segment are formed in an hourglass shape; 
 a filter key located on or connected to the housing for mating attachment to a filter base, the filter key comprising an extended finger including on one side a contacting portion forming a first angle in a first direction with respect to the housing top portion and an adjacent side forming a second angle in the first direction with respect to the housing top portion, such that the first angle and the second angle are not equal; 
 an electronic circuit component housing disposed adjacent to the filter key and having a recess for receiving an electronic circuit component therein, and for further connecting said electronic circuit component to the housing top portion, said electronic circuit component housing located on or connected to the filter cartridge assembly housing, said electronic circuit component housing as least partially surrounding the filter key and said filter key extending partially into the electronic circuit component housing recess; and 
 a cavity on the ingress port middle segment for the passage of fluid, and a cavity on the egress port middle segment for the passage of fluid, the ingress port cavity and egress port cavity exposed in a direction facing away from the electronic circuit component housing. 
 
     
     
       6. The filter cartridge assembly of  claim 1  wherein the ingress port cavity and the egress port cavity are both exposed in a direction opposite the filter key extended finger contacting portion. 
     
     
       7. The filter cartridge assembly of  claim 1  wherein the ingress port top segment and bottom segment and egress port top segment and bottom segment are substantially cylindrical. 
     
     
       8. The filter cartridge assembly of  claim 1  wherein the electronic circuit component housing is formed in a substantially horseshoe shape. 
     
     
       9. The filter cartridge assembly of  claim 1  wherein the electronic circuit component housing is connected to or integral with said filter key. 
     
     
       10. The filter cartridge assembly of  claim 9  wherein the electronic circuit component housing extends past and is centered about exposed side faces of said filter key. 
     
     
       11. The filter cartridge assembly of  claim 1  wherein the electronic circuit component housing is connected to or integral with longitudinal sides of a base portion of said filter key. 
     
     
       12. The filter cartridge assembly of  claim 1  wherein the electronic circuit component housing has sidewalls that extend upward from a bottom surface thereof, said sidewalls extending parallel to the filter cartridge assembly housing top portion axial center. 
     
     
       13. The filter cartridge assembly of  claim 1  wherein the electronic circuit component housing has a bottom surface shaped to form to the filter cartridge assembly housing top portion. 
     
     
       14. The filter cartridge assembly of  claim 13  wherein the electronic circuit component housing bottom surface is concave.